City of Johannesburg Stands Firm in Inner City Reclamation Efforts Amid Trader Backlash

The City of Johannesburg is intensifying its efforts to reclaim the inner city through a series of high-impact service delivery operations, despite growing criticism from informal traders whose permits have recently been revoked.

The campaign, which forms part of the broader #JoburgReimagined initiative, has received vocal support from key partners, including the South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO), which declared “Vat Daai Karre” in a strong show of solidarity.

“We are reclaiming Johannesburg, and we will not back down,” read a statement from the City’s official communication platforms. The message comes as part of a renewed push to restore order, cleanliness, and economic vitality in the city centre, which has long struggled with congestion, lawlessness, and deteriorating infrastructure.

As part of this mission, Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo (JCPZ) has begun revitalisation work along Ontdekkers Road in Region C. Teams are finalising a landscaped flowerbed to add greenery and beautify the area, particularly in anticipation of the city’s upcoming G20 readiness assessments.

In a show of high-level political support for these efforts, Executive Mayor Councillor Dada Morero will lead a major service delivery operation in the Wynberg precinct of Region E on 21 October 2025. The initiative, taking place in Ward 91, brings together multiple city departments including City Power, Johannesburg Water, Pikitup, the Johannesburg Roads Agency, JMPD and others to tackle service delivery backlogs, enforce bylaws, and restore public spaces.

“Region E, home to Alexandra and Sandton, is a key economic hub. The goal is to transform high density and economically strategic areas into clean, safe and functional spaces and to build stronger community partnerships while restoring investor confidence,” the mayor’s office said in a press release.

However, these efforts have not gone unchallenged. Informal traders operating in the Johannesburg CBD have voiced growing outrage over what they call unfair permit cancellations. Many say they have been left without a source of income and allege that corrupt intermediaries previously facilitated their trading rights for years.

“I took over my father’s stall after he passed away. We’ve been paying money regularly, but now we’re being told our permits are invalid. It’s not fair,” said one trader near De Villiers Street, who asked to remain anonymous.

Traders have now approached the Socio-Economic Rights Institute (SERI) to represent them in court. The matter was brought before the Gauteng High Court on Tuesday and has been postponed to 28 October, giving the city time to respond.

SERI’s Edward Molopi criticised the City’s approach, stating that recent amendments to the bylaws infringe on the rights of informal traders. “This case is about the right to earn a living. The removal of traders without fair consultation and due process undermines their economic and human rights,” Molopi said.

Despite the backlash, Mayor Morero remains resolute. “The city will not back down. Enforcement must be fair, but we cannot have a situation where everyone wants to trade without regulation,” he told media earlier this week.